Valentines's Suprises
by Hopebringer Jem
Summary: contains spoilers for an upcoming original series... ^_^V but still, deals with a couple of guys getting dates...(KOENMA!! KURAMA!!!
1. Kurama's Letter

Disclaimer and Author's notes: Okay, this baby is a side story to an original story I'm collaborating on with Arianna Starr, or Aeri, or Neechan (as I call her). It's a very late Valentine's present since I'm still having writers block and dealing with bakayaru computers for Running the Guantles part 4, and I've finally learned touse the chaptering system here. This whole side story and the story line it's coming off of is from Aeri's imagination. I know little to nothing about YYH, so she had to help me along the way. Enjoy.

As always, I'm a broke college student with no money who owns none of the characters in YYH, or can claim credit for Jewelle, Lyn however, I did a lot of background work for. And Aeri is a working girl who doesn't own any of the YYH characters and settings either and can claim credit for Aoshi and Jewelle. Enjoy!

P.S. these are the only authors notes and disclaimers you have to put up with….^_^ happy belated valentines!

Jewelle sighed as she shifted one bag of groceries so she could unlock the door . I really hate this weather,she thought grumpily as she carefully shook out the wet umbrella. It's nice to be back in Japan without being on a mission or anything, but it's also kinda lonely without Lyn. I wish she could have come, but Aoshi. I mean dad, only wanted me to come and stay for a few months.She set the groceries down on the table.I still have trouble calling him 'dad', but maybe someday I'll be able to call him that… right now it feels awkward. She sighed and began putting the groceries away. 

When she finished she wondered through the various rooms. Her father's home was a former dojo he had restored. It was 15 minutes out of Tokyo and had a nice ocean view. Right now the view was obscured by mist and fog. Jewelle stopped in the living room and glanced out the window. The huge window gave a view of the extensive gardens in the back yard. The rain had stopped but a dense fog was rolling in from the sea. She sighed. This kind of weather made her feel sad and a little depressed.I wonder why Kurama asked me to keep tomorrow open? Hmm.. she glanced at the calendar. Tomorrow's the 14th… I don't suppose he actually has something planned… 

"Why the sad face, chere?" A deep, velvety male voice asked out of the blue. Jewelle turned her head sharply at the voice, her silvery-blue hair swinging. Her father stood in the doorway in a black trenchcoat and black fedora perched at a rakish angle on his head. His cornflower blue ears poked through the fedora's brim. 

Jewelle sighed and was thankful he wasn't a thief. He never failed to take her by surprise. But he wouldn't have survived in Makai for long if he wasn't so quiet. "Oh…" she shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's the weather… or something."

Aoshi shook his head and took off his trenchcoat. He disappeared then returned with the day's mail. "Here." He handed Jewelle a small, plain envelope. She took it and looked at it. It had her name and address on it, but no return address. She turned it over and checked the back. The return address was smudged beyond legibility. She sighed resignedly and opened it. 

Aoshi watched from the kitchen as he fixed supper. He hadn't really liked the idea of Kurama fathering a child with his daughter. Over the last year he had been watching the former Makai thief and had realized Kurama had changed. It still bothered him though, at least Kurama could take care of her.

* * * *

Kurama walked home with a bounce in his step and a smile in his eyes. If everything went right, tomorrow would be a very good day. He just hoped he'd read Jewelle right. He wasn't really sure how she felt about him. 

He had been as surprised as he was when he found out that Sakura was their future daughter. Jewelle had been floored by that news. Not that he blamed her, she had a lot on resting on her shoulders last summer.

* * * *

Jewelle re-read the letter. Kurama had something planned all right, but it didn't say what. " '… an afternoon of sightseeing and dinner at a nice restaurant. The dinner is formal dress. See you on the 14th, Kurama.' Did I bring a formal dress?"

Jewelle rummaged through her closet searching for the right clothes. _I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow… but maybe the sightseeing will be include indoor stuf_f. So far she had pulled out a short charcoal skirt, burgundy shirt and a black sweater to wear over it. She was searching for the burgundy formal she had, before she realized that she'd left it at home_. Oh shit! I would leave something I actually need._ She sighed and flopped down on the bed, annoyed with herself.

* * * *

Jewelle fiddled with her food. Aoshi never failed to amaze her with his cooking ability. He could cook anything, and he was teaching her while she was here. It was great and she had a lot of fun, but right now she felt a little down.

A frown touched Aoshi's face as he watched Jewelle. Her emotions were hard to read, but her body language said a lot. She had been surprised, but happy when she read the letter, but now she seemed a little down. He hoped Kurama learned to read her. "What's wrong chere?" he asked between bites.

"I forgot to bring my one formal dress with me, that's what's wrong," she grumbled.

"Ah," he said. "I think I have a solution for that."

Jewelle raised her a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh?"

Aoshi's silver eyes glittered in amusement. "But you have to finish your dinner first."

* * *

"You can open your eyes now." Aoshi told his daughter. 

Jewelle removed her hands and opened one eye then the other. "Oh my…" she breathed when she saw the sapphire blue dress. Spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline shaped the bodice. The skirt was ankle length with a sheer top layer hiding a shiny satin underskirt. "It's perfect," she whispered softly and reached out to touch the smooth silk. "Thank you, dad."

Aoshi bowed dramatically and smiled. "You're welcome."

Jewelle giggled. Tomorrow will be a good day, she decided, hugging her father.

Aoshi chuckled softly. Nothing was to good for her.


	2. Koenma's Question

Lyn sighed as she plopped down on her bed. Jewelle had gone to Japan for a couple months at Aoshi's request. Not as if her life hadn't been turn upside down that summer, finding out that you were betrothed to someone because you just happened to have the personality traits that the two parties desired just happens to have that effect on people. It wouldn't have been so bad if she'd known 'bout it earlier and had grown up knowing it, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. Besides, the guy seemed nice enough, if just a little stressed out.. It's just that the word submissive did not even exsist in her vocabulary and she wanted to fall in love FIRST if she ever got married. Politically arranged marriages left her cold. She hadn't told her older brother or little sister yet, but she would have to 

one day. She just didn't know how to handle her new situation well at all.

"LYNNIE!!! COME PLAY WITH ME!!!" Lyn's elven year old little sister barged through her door yelling. Her "playmate" Robert, the one that Short-chan…er…Hiei had reminded her so much of,was busy so Michelle only had Lyn and Steven to bug. Steven, being the older brother, could dodge Michelle quite easily, so that left only Lyn open. 

"Sure Michie!!" Lyn pratically jumped off her bed and ran straight into her sister and started to tickle her. Michelle squirmed as laughed under Lyn's assult. Lyn began to ease up as Michelle wiggled away."NO FAIR LYNNIE!!! That was mean.!" Michelle then razzed her older sister as she ran away laughing. Lyn sat back and smiled, glad that Michie was feeling better and then sighed. Tomorrow was Valentine's day and she had no sweet heart. A betrothed, yes, but other than that was technically single. Valentines could really sux sometimes.As if to add insult to injury an old Righteous Brothers song came on.

**_Oh my love, my darling,_**

**_I've hungered for your touch_**

**_A long, lonely time._**

**_ _**

**_Time goes by, so slowly_**

**_And time can do so much._**

**_Are you still mine?_**

**_ _**

**_I need your love,_**

**_I need your love,_**

**_God speed your love to me!_**

Lyn considered throwing a pillow at the radio, but she did like the song, even if it made the poignancy of her situation sting more. She started to wonder how Jewelle was doing, and Shuichi-kun and…and… andhow Koenma was doing too…

Koenma felt frustrated at the amount of work he still had to do. It just never stopped!! Botanalso just had to choose that moment to come in and tell him that his father wanted to see him too. Great. First, he springs this whole betrothal mess on him only a few months ago. Hell not even Lyn knew… Lyn, how was she doing… Koenma roughly shook that thought out of his head. He needed to get things straightened out, not worry about spirited, genki ingues. Besides, he didn't even know her that well. Anyways, might as well get this meeting over with, hopefully, he wouldn't get toogriped out.

A few hours later he walked out of that particular meeting shocked. He had been "ordered" to take a vacation. Not that a break sounded like a bad idea, it was just unusual. Now the next problem was, what to do while he had the time to do it in. Relaxation was high on the list, but other than that, he was clueless. Maybe he should go see how therei-tei dectives were doing. Well, they weren't that anymore, but it was something to do. With that he left for the Ningen plane.

Lyn sighed as the song finished and another one came on.

**_ _**

**_No one else on Earth_**

**_Could ever hurt me._**

**_And break my heart the way you do._**

**_ _**

**_No one else on Earth_**

**_Was ever worth it._**

**_No one could love me like_**

**_No one could love like you_**.

It just didn't pay to be single on Valentine's, or near it for that matter. She flopped backwardsback on to her bed and caught one of the pillow that had bounched up, as the others scattered, before it landed on her face. "I think life is just one OAV short of a series don't you think Winkie?" she inquired mock-seriously of a teddy bear that had rolled down next to her as she turned her head to look at it. Then she giggled as if the stuffed animal had given her an answer. "Yep. Men are the route of all evil sometimes." She started to giggle more and rolled over as she started to shake from the laughter.

Michelle peeped back through her older sister's bedroom door before shaking her head and walking away snorting disgustedly. "My sister's the one who's the one oav short of a series. I hope I never get like that when I'm older. Blah, who would ever want to date a boy anyway." She blushed slightly at that one after she stuck her tounge out to show her disgust at the thought of most males, other than her father and maybe one particular friend. Lyn giggled as her sister's voice echoed into her room. 

"I heard that you brat!! You're gonna get it!!!" Lyn leaped off her bed again and started to chase Michie around the house in an improntu tickle war. Both of them were rather busy trying to tickle each other until an annoyed Steven walked out of his room and physically seperated the two of them by picking up one in each arm. "KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!! I was trying to study!"

Michelle razzed her older brother. "MEANIE!!"

Lyn just shook her head and glared at him thru a curtain of wine waves. "Spoilsport."

Koenma reappeared in a park, where he figured he might find at least one of his old "detectives." It appeared that hewas right as Kurama looked over at him as he was walking around the park. "Hello Koenma, what brings you here?" the red haired youko-ningen asked. Koenma just shruged. "I got a vacation and couldn't think of anything to do."

Kurama raised gave him a strange look. "Your father?"

Koenma nodded. "What do you do about a girl you kinda like, but aren't sure you really want to marry?" He asked suddenly.

Kurama frowned. "I'm not sure. Do you like her?"

Koenma shoved his hands in his pockets. "She's okay I guess, but I don't really know her that well."

Kurama shook his head and was very thankful he and Jewelle hadn't been betrothed. He liked Jewelle a lot, might even be in love with her, but it was his decision. "You can always get to know her better," he suggested.

Koenma thought that over. "Yeah, that would be a good idea. But how would I go about doing that? I can always get the files on her at Reikai, but it's not the same."

Kurama mere smiled a small smile. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day here. Traditionally, it's when couples and friends go out and spend time with each other. Why don't you ask her if she wants to go do something." He hoped it worked. She seemed like a nice enough person, if a touch clumsy and overly affectionate, so she probably would understand.

Koenma looked up. "It is? Are you sure? What if she already has plans for tomorrow?"

Kurama shook his head again. Somehow he doubted that she had plans, but he would admit to looking extremely forward to tomorrow himself.

"You'll never know until you ask her Koenma."Kurama sincerely hoped that Koenma would ask her, at least that left tomorrow free for him so he could spend time with Jewelle. "I don't think she's quite sure how to take the betrothal herself. Maybe it'll help you both out."

Koenma thought that over for a little bit. "I guess you're right. Maybe I should at least ask her if she want's to go…" He looked off into the scenery as Kurama chuckled.

Lyn had finally managed to wiggle her way out of Steven's grip and ran off leaving him to deal with Michie. Despite the fact she was still technically single and no plans for tomorrow, she was happy. Valentines really wasn't looming large on her concious thoughts at the moment as she snuck back up to her room via the kitchen. However, she never made it to her room as she heard someone knocking at the door. She sighed as she put down the thing of choclates that she'd discovered and went to answer the door. "Um, who's there?"

Koenma took a deep steadying breathe before answering, it just had to be her that answered. "It's Koenma, may I come in? I just wanted to ask you something." He hoped that was the correct thing to say. The crazy and myraid rituals that the ningen's used in courtship and dating and just politeness were sometimes obscure to him.

Lyn blinked and started to flounder for a second before taking a deep breathe herself and opening the door. "Sure come on in, I don't see anything wrong with that." She smiled one of her usual bright smiles, hoping to hide the confusion and elation that she was feeling at the moment.

Koenma walked in breathing a sigh of relief. Sofar, so good.. "Lyn, I'm not really sure of all the customs around here, but I've heard that… Well, tomorrow's normally a day when people go out together… and I thought it might be a good oportunity to get to know you better… and well…"

Lyn blinked as he started to flounder. Was he asking her out?! "Um… I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, so sure. Why not?" She shrugged, managing to keep a genuine smile on her face. Well, at least she wouldn't be alone on Valentine's and after all, she was betrothed to the guy and it wasn't his fault.

Koenma smiled back. "Thanks, I really don't know what to do exactly, um…"

Lyn chuckled at that."Don't worry, I'll take care of it. It won't be anything fancy mind you, but it'll be fun." She mentally crossed her fingers. Dear Lord please let him like comedy.

Koenma nodded."Okay! So, um… see you tomorrow then?" He looked at her hopefully, maybe this wasn't going to be so difficult after all.

"Sure. Tomorrow." Lyn all but chuckled out as Koenma smiled and then disappeared. Then she sighed. She had stuff to take care of.

*********************


End file.
